Dear Gardeners:

Plant names have always intrigued me. Scientific Latin names, inexplicable foreign words, or fascinating descriptive varieties. I love trying to figure out how a plant's name fits.

Take German Iris 'Fiery Temper' for example. I'm not sure exactly how it got its name, but when I look at the dark bruised-black petals of this gorgeous flower I can easily imagine the stormy temper of a pampered princess on the verge of erupting when denied an extravagance.

Maybe I'm letting my imagination run away with me, but when I look at the Daylily 'Flamboyant Edge' I picture an eclectic and charismatic Broadway choreographer draped in silks twirling across a stage.

And the bold spikes of Muscari 'White Magic' remind me of an illusionist's puff of smoke just before a glittery assistant turns into a tiger!

Then there's the funky world of botanical Latin. Once you're familiar with it you can figure what feature inspired a plant's name. For Allium 'Obliquum,' or Twisted Leaf Garlic, "oblique" means slanted. The name probably refers to the helix-like twisted habit of the leaves of this plant.

Then there's the real stumpers like Iris 'Hoogiana.' "Hoogiana" doesn't appear anywhere in Latin so where did the strange word come from? Well, it turns out that the plant is named after its Dutch breeder, Hoog. Many years ago it was popular to "Latinize" the names of people so they could be used as a plant's official scientific name!

Happy Gardening,
The Bulb Lady®